Genre: Drama, Romance Directed By: Jean Negulesco Written By: Merle Miller In Theaters: 14 Dec. 1955 On Disc/Streaming: 30 Aug. 2016 Runtime: 104 minutes Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Budget: $2,900,000 Box office: $2,600,000 (US) | Cast: Lana Turner as Lady Esketh Richard Burton as Dr. Rama Safti Fred MacMurray as Tom Ransome Michael Rennie as Lord Esketh Joan Caulfield as Fern Simon Eugenie Leontovich as the Maharani |
“The Rains of Ranchipur” is a 1955 American drama film made by 20th Century Fox.
It was directed by Jean Negulesco and produced by Frank Ross from a screenplay by Merle Miller, based on the novel The Rains Came by Louis Bromfield.
The music score was by Hugo Friedhofer and the cinematography by Milton R. Krasner.
The film stars Lana Turner, Richard Burton, Fred MacMurray, Joan Caulfield and Michael Rennie with Eugenie Leontovich.
Made in DeLuxe Color, Cinemascope, and four-track stereophonic sound, the film is a remake of the black-and-white film The Rains Came (1939), also made by Fox, directed by Clarence Brown and starring Tyrone Power and Myrna Loy.
However, the 1955 film changes the novel’s ending.
Lana Turner stars as Lady Edwina Esketh, the spoiled and hedonistic wife of Lord Esketh (Michael Rennie), a British royal. Intending to purchase some horses, the Eskeths accept an invitation to the Indian city of Ranchipur by the Maharani (Eugene Leontovich).
Once there, Edwina meets and unsuccessfully attempts to seduce Dr. Safti (Richard Burton), a handsome Hindu doctor and the Maharani’s chosen heir.
While in Ranchipur, Edwina also runs into an old acquaintance, Tom Ransome (Fred MacMurray), now the town drunk.
As Edwina begins to realize that she’s feeling real love for Safti, the doctor succumbs to her charms and a torrid affair begins, as a series of earthquakes and a devastating flood strike Ranchipur.
“The Rains of Ranchipur” was Oscar nominated for Best Visual Effects.
Lana Turner plays Lady Esketh.
Lana didn’t like to work with Richard Burton because of his bloated self-image.
A slip in a bathtub nearly prevented Lana from making “The Rains Of Ranchipur.” The accident occurred in her suite at the Villa Vera hotel during a vacation in Acapulco after filming “Diane.” She was knocked out cold and woke up in the hospital just as her new film went into production at Twentieth Century-Fox in mid-August 1955. The company shot everything they could without her for the first two weeks and then finally had to close down, unable to shoot around her any longer. With Lana at her most professional and a supportive company operating as an antidote through her severe headaches, they completed principal photography in October 1955, only 5 days behind schedule.
Costume Designer Helen Rose created some fantastic dresses for Lana. Here are some of them:
Clip:
You can watch the film here:
and here.
Lana Turner did a lot of movies. She really loved being a moviestar.
Here are the most important films in which she starred. Just click the links for more info, photos and videos.
20 April 1937: A Star Is Born
9 Oct. 1937: They Won’t Forget
24 Oct. 1937: The Great Garrick
1 Jan. 1938: The Adventures of Marco Polo
22 July 1938: Love Finds Andy Hardy
12 Aug. 1938: Rich Man, Poor Girl
9 Dec. 1938: Dramatic School
28 April 1939: Calling Dr. Kildare
18 Aug. 1939: These Glamour Girls
29 Sept. 1939: Dancing Co-Ed
19 April 1940: Two Girls on Broadway
19 July 1940: We Who Are Young
25 April 1941: Ziegfeld Girl
12 Aug. 1941: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
2 Oct. 1941: Honky Tonk
18 Febr. 1942: Johnny Eager
27 Aug. 1942: Somewhere I’ll Find You
1 April 1943: Slightly Dangerous
19 Aug. 1943: Du Barry Was A Lady
13 Nov. 1943: The Youngest Profession
23 Aug. 1944: Marriage Is a Private Affair
8 March 1945: Keep Your Powder Dry
1 Oct. 1945: Week-End At The Waldorf
2 May 1946: The Postman Always Rings Twice
5 Nov. 1947 : Green Dolphin Street
1 Nov. 1947: Cass Timberlane
29 April 1948: Homecoming
20 Oct. 1948: The Three Musketeers
1 Sept. 1950: A Life Of Her Own
2 March 1951: Mr. Imperium
5 Sept. 1952: The Merry Widow
25 Dec. 1952: The Bad And The Beautiful
25 Aug. 1953: Latin Lovers
1 May 1954: Flame And The Flesh
7 Sept. 1954: Betrayed
13 May 1955: The Prodigal
4 June 1955: Sea Chase
14 Dec. 1955: The Rains Of Ranchipur
12 Jan. 1956: Diane
13 Dec. 1957: Peyton Place
30 Jan. 1958: The Lady Takes A Flyer
2 May 1958: Another Time, Another Place
30 April 1959: Imitation Of Life
23 June 1960: Portrait In Black
19 July 1961: By Love Possessed
2 Nov. 1961: Bachelor In Paradise
25 Dec. 1962: Who’s Got The Action?
24 Febr. 1965: Love Has Many Faces
27 April 1966: Madame X
30 April 1969: The Big Cube
7 Nov. 1974: Persecution
27 Oct. 1976: Bittersweet Love
31 Oct. 1980: Witches Brew
21 May 1982: Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid
Sources: Wikipedia, IMDB, Rotten Tomatoes, Lana’s biography “Lana, the Lady, The Legend, The Truth“, “The Films Of Lana Turner” by Lou Valentino and “Lana Turner, The Memories, The Myths and The Movies” by Cheryl Crane.